Switched
by Babylon2260
Summary: After trade negotiations with aliens obsessed with psionic warfare end in a gunfight, a transporter accident switches Harry Kim's and Vorik's bodies. Rated T for violence and mild language.  Work in progress
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Mess Hall, USS _Voyager_**

"Aaaah, Mister Vulcan! How are you this evening?"

Ensign Vorik looked up from his dinner to find Neelix, the jolly Talaxian morale officer, standing over him. "I am well, Mr. Neelix," he replied in his usual unemotional Vulcan manner. "Do you need something?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing!" Neelix exclaimed excitedly.

Vorik shook his head and continued eating. He was not in the mood to be bothered, least of all by the overly-cheerful Talaxian who called himself the ship's cook. Neelix was obviously here to ask his opinion on tonight's cooking.

"If you're here to ask me about the quality of the food that's here in front of me," Vorik said coldly, "I find it...adequate."

"Just adequate, huh?" Neelix asked.

Vorik kept a straight face. "You have been asking everyone in this room the same question," he said. "It was only a matter of time that you would approach me with it."

"Well then," Neelix said. "I'm glad you find it adequate. But that's not why I'm here." The Talaxian pulled up a chair and sat down. "D'you know, something just occurred to me earlier this week. I'll bet you'll find it interesting."

Vorik rolled his eyes (in a very Vulcan manner, of course). _This had better be important…_

"Has anyone ever told you..." Neelix paused and leaned in. "That you and Ensign Kim look a lot alike?"

The young Vulcan ensign stopped mid-chew. _What?_ He swallowed before answering. "That is impossible. We look nothing alike."

Neelix was about to speak when Vorik's comm badge chirped. _Torres to Ensign Vorik. Please report to engineering immediately. _

"Acknowledged," Vorik said. He stood to leave.

"Perhaps we'll discuss this some other time then, Ensign?" Neelix asked, but Vorik was already out the door.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Holodeck, USS <span>_Voyager_**

"So, Captain Proton, you think you can foil my plan!"

Doctor Chaotica grinned maliciously as Captain Proton and his sidekick Buster Kincaid drew their weapons.

"Oh, I don't _think_ so, Chaotica," Captain Proton said confidently. "I _know_ I can."

"HA! We'll soon see about that! LONZAK! BRING OUT MY NEW SUPERWEAPON!"

"Yes, Sire." Chaotica's portly henchman strode over to an alcove at the back of the room and threw back the curtain to reveal—

_All senior officers please report to the bridge. _

"Aw man! Not now!" Lt. Jgd. Tom Paris and Ensign Harry Kim groaned. "Computer end program." The black-and-white holoprogram dissolved, replacing the retro-sci-fi throne room with an empty holodeck. Tom and Harry hastily stowed their props and made their way to Voyager's bridge. If Captain Janeway had to call them away from their down time like this, it had to be serious.

"Let's go, Harry. We can't keep 'em waiting."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_**Captain's log, Stardate 53246.8:**__ It has come to my attention that Voyager is running low on deuterium. After several days of searching, we have finally found a planet whose inhabitants, the Sorathians, are willing to negotiate a deal for it. Unfortunately, their planet is torn by a world war, and an enemy faction of our correspondents, the Order of Izaldin, are intent on preventing any trade between them and us. As we are low on fuel, we are becoming desperate. And desperate measures are badly needed._

Captain Kathryn Janeway stepped onto the bridge. "Report," she said.

"The Sorathians are hailing us from the surface, Captain," Lieutenant Commander Tuvok said.

"Put it through."

The viewscreen changed from the view of a dark brown planet to that of one of its inhabitants, a ripped, golden-yellow skinned alien with brilliant blue eyes and a tapering dog's snout. Janeway could not help but notice how coyote-ish he looked. "Captain Janeway, I presume," he said, his long, pointed ears stiffening as he spoke. His voice was sibilant and sinister. "I am Faolan Conri. You wish to negotiate a deal with us."

"That is correct," Janeway said. "We are in need of some deuterium from the surface of your planet. We are willing to trade for it."

"Ah yesss. But what have you to offer us? With a ship of your make, I assume you have weapons. Powerful weapons that my people could use against the Order of Izaldin."

"We do not deal in arms, sir," Janeway said. "Perhaps we could negotiate with equipment. Plasma injectors, replicator technology...perhaps medical supplies or food?"

The Sorathian glared at Janeway through the viewscreen. "My people are in need of weapons. Perhaps you can compromise...part of the bargain of weaponry, the rest supplies?"

"I don't exchange weapons, Mister Conri," Janeway said firmly. "It goes against our directive."

Faolan Conri shut his eyes and set his jaw. "You Starfleet people are foolish in turning a blind eye to our plight," he said. "We are as desperate as you are...my son was injured in an explosion earlier this month, and my comrades are being decimated by the hundreds each week. Surely you can supply us with what we need to defeat these villains who follow the heathen ways of Izaldin?"

Janeway turned to her first officer, a burly Native American named Chakotay. Then she turned to Tuvok, her Vulcan tactical officer. Apparently this was a holy war; the last thing she wanted to do was help contribute to the bloodshed that was going on down there. She motioned for Tuvok to mute the viewscreen.

"Any thoughts?"

"Apparently," Tuvok said, crossing his arms, "he is adamant about trading for weapons. We may have no alternative."

Chakotay thought a moment before speaking. "He wasn't specific on what kind of weapons he wanted-ground weapons, or ship weapons. If it's ship weapons he wants, I think I can find a way around this deal." The burly Native American paused a moment, knowing that Janeway would not like the idea, considering that it would still be a weapon, if used properly.

"Warp plasma," Chakotay said. "My men have used it before in the Maquis, for both space and ground combat. It can be a deadly explosive in both mediums."

"And still prove a useful means of propulsion," Tuvok finished, "Considering their ships have the right configuration for such a material."

Janeway sighed. There was no way out of this. She had a feeling she was going to regret this later. "If it needs to be done, do it." She motioned for Tuvok to reactivate audio.

"Mister Conri," Janeway said, "We have a deal, but I'm afraid it will involve some explaining first."

* * *

><p>Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres paced back and forth across the length of the Engineering Room. The warp core pulsed calmly, bathing the chamber in a cool shade of blue. She had just finished briefing her engineering team on Janeway's plan. Two-hundred liters of warp plasma in exchange for the same amount in deuterium.<p>

The half-Klingon woman paused for a moment to watch a strand of light blue dance before her eyes inside the great glowing tower that graced Engineering's center. _Two-hundred liters! All that for gas? _Something didn't smell right. Furthermore, she would be sending a few of her own officers to assist in the negotiation. Simply beaming down the plasma drums was not satisfactory for this Faolan Conri person. Oh nooo, they had to have people present to make sure there was no deception involved in the transaction. To the former Maquis officer, this screamed booby trap. _Negotiating with a people at war? Was Janeway out of her mind? And Tuvok was in on it too? Wow, was he ever out of his Vulcan mind here!_ Her warrior instincts were telling her this was a bad idea. They'd might as well join the fighting down there for all she cared.

"...One-hundred ninety-eight, one-hundred ninety-nine, two hundred liters," a fellow engineer's voice said somewhere across the room. Lugging it all the way to the cargo bay was going to be a pain. Sending officers down was going to be an even bigger pain.

_Don't worry, B'Elanna_, she told herself. _As long as they're with Chakotay, they're in safe hands._

* * *

><p>Ensign Harry Kim stared dubiously at the sidearm Lt. Tuvok had handed him. He and Ensign Munro, a security officer, exchanged nervous glances at each other. This was a war zone. They'd need these phasers here.<p>

Harry felt an awful feeling in the pit of his stomach. He was not sure if it was his nerves or the aftereffects of Neelix's Calvorian eel sushi he had tried earlier that day.

"You will need to stay alert at all times," Tuvok instructed them. "It is likely there will be fighting near our rendezvous point with Faolan. Keep your phasers set to stun. We do not want any casualties on this mission. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Tuvok tapped his comm badge. "Tuvok to engineering," he said.

"Go ahead," Lt. Torres's voice said.

"Is the warp plasma ready for transport?"

"It's on its way to the cargo bay, sir," B'Elanna said. "You should be getting it in a few minutes or so."

As if on cue, the cargo bay doors opened. Harry, Tuvok and Munro turned to see Ensigns Vorik and Mendez pushing an anti-grav sled loaded with several drums of warp plasma.

"Thank you, lieutenant. Tuvok out." Tuvok approached the two engineers and handed them phasers, reciting the same spiel he had just told Kim and Munro.

At that point, Cdr. Chakotay entered the cargo bay. He approached the away team.

"Everyone here?" he asked.

"We are ready to transport," Tuvok said.

"Good work." Chakotay tapped his comm badge. "Chakotay to Torres. Prepare to beam us down."

"Acknowledged," Torres's voice said.

The last thing they felt was the familiar tingling from the transporter before disappearing in a flurry of silver sparks.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Harry Kim waited for the tingling sensation to stop and the sparks to dissipate before grabbing his phaser. He hastily checked to make sure it was set to stun before re-holstering it. The seven of them had beamed down to a rather dingy, dilapidated alley of some kind. It was not long before several tall, muscular figures emerged from the shadows. They were all Sorathian.

Harry was beginning to wish he had not re-holstered his weapon. The Sorathians were very tall, standing at eight feet in height, and very muscular. Their wolf-like appearance did not help at all...those teeth they were baring looked like daggers. Harry could hear one of the away team members curse under his breath.

"You are the Starfleets from _Voyager_?" one of them asked.

Chakotay stepped forward. "Yes, we're from _Voyager_," he answered. "I am Commander Chakotay. I'm leading this mission."

The lead Sorathian curled the corner of his mouth into a rather sinister looking grin. Harry did not particularly like it. _Those teeth…_

"You are wise to bring protection with you, Commander," he said, his great teeth clinking together as he spoke. Harry was sure some of them were tipped with metal. "Faolan is expecting you. If you will follow us."

The away team fell into line as the Sorathian warriors took up positions surrounding the seven of them. Harry counted at least a dozen of the hulking doglike monsters, and he was sure there were more hiding in the shadows nearby. Their heavy footfalls were unsettling, and the [i]swish-swish[/i] of their tails as they dragged on the ground behind them-yes, Harry had just noticed their entourage had rather bushy tails like wolves...or werewolves, just like the ghost stories he and his friends shared around the campfires back home when he was a child.

* * *

><p>Ensigns Vorik and Mendez continued to haul the anti-grav sled as cautiously as possible. Vorik kept checking every now and then to see if his phaser was still holstered at his side.<p>

The young Vulcan ensign did not like this. There was something very unsettling about this place...Vorik took a deep breath and tried to clear his head. It was hard to, what with the squadron of towering warriors that circled them, shouldering huge rifles that would have made the Hirogens' guns look puny.

At least it was good to know these Sorathians were on their side. He did not want to be on the receiving end of their weaponsfire, or their wrath. Those gigantic teeth and claws were the most unsettling of all.

It did not take long to reach the rendezvous point. Faolan and a pair of guards were standing next to several crates, their arms crossed, their gazes steely and menacing.

"You must be Captain Janeway's second-in-command," Faolan growled, not bothering to shake hands with Chakotay.

Chakotay stood firm. "That I am, Faolan Conri. I came with the warp plasma, as promised."

"Two-hundred liters, I presume?"

"Yes. Our engineers made sure it was all accounted for," Chakotay said. He glanced briefly at Vorik and Mendez, the latter of who fidgeted nervously as attention was drawn to the two of them for a moment.

Suddenly, one of Faolan's guards sprang forward and rushed toward the anti-grav sled. Ensign Mendez braced himself for a mauling, but then stood up as he saw the soldier begin to examine the plasma drums. Vorik could only stand there and stare at this great creature as it scrutinized every square inch of the sled, cargo and all. He tensed for only a split second as the Sorathian soldier looked at him, then to Mendez's slightly scrunched figure, then back to Vorik. He squinted at the Vulcan for a moment before returning to Faolan's side. He whispered something in the leader's tapering ear.

"Your cargo is sufficient, and it meets our agreement," Faolan said. "You may now examine the deuterium."

Tuvok and Ensign Kim stepped forward and began to scan the crates next to the Sorathian leader.

"It's all there, Commander," Harry said. "All two-hundred liters-worth."

"It is done, then," Faolan said. "But first, Chakotay, if you could demonstrate to us the properties of this warp plasma to us?"

Vorik and Mendez exchanged glances. _Surely, he can't be serious?_ Vorik thought to himself.

"You have our assurances that this plasma is highly flammable and dangerous," Tuvok said. "It is no weapon per se, but it can still be treated as such."

The guard that had examined the plasma minutes before stepped away from Faolan's side and approached Tuvok. "You are not like the others, brownskin," he growled. "And neither is he!" He pointed to Vorik.

The Vulcan ensign suddenly felt a twinge in his stomach as all eyes turned to him.

"How do we know you are not in league with the Order of Izaldin?"

_What does that have to do with anything? _Vorik thought.

"That is enough, Lykos," Faolan said, but the soldier continued.

"It is said that those who follow the Order of Izaldin are masters of the mind," the soldier named Lykos said. "They are able to control their emotions down to the last tiny fringe of instinct. They stand cold and still, like statues, never wavering...it is also said, that they are able to speak with their minds, sending thoughts between each other and those they torture, sending thoughts of pain...of misery...and despair..."

"I said, that's enough, Lykos!" Faolan barked. "You are out of line." He turned to Chakotay. "Take your fuel and go. We are finished here-"

No sooner had he finished his sentence when the sound of weaponsfire rang through the air. The shot hit one of the warriors, knocking him to the ground. Amber blood began to pool beneath the body.

"It's an ambush!" Chakotay shouted. "Get down!" The away team unholstered their weapons and began to defend themselves.

* * *

><p>Phaser fire mingled with tetryon rifle streams as Harry Kim took shelter behind an empty garbage crate near the corner of the plaza. His heart was pounding more vigorously than he could ever remember. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he hurried to reset his phaser pistol. Apparently the stun setting was no good against these beasts. They were way bigger than he was, and chances were, if he stayed out in the open, he'd get mauled for sure.<p>

_What a way to go,_ he thought. He took a deep breath, counted to three and peeked out from behind the crate, firing at point blank range as he did so. There were almost two-dozen of these werewolf-people running around, shooting, mauling, biting and tearing each other apart, that it probably wouldn't matter where he aimed. If he knew Chakotay and Tuvok, they'd have their men crouching behind something like he was doing right now.

Harry turned, shot again, and disappeared behind the crate. It would not be long before somebody would come running over to see what was shooting at them. He got up and scurried over to another pile of scrap and crouched, waiting for another opportunity to shoot.

_Whhooffff_. Harry felt something at the back of his neck. It did not feel like Vulcan breath...

He cautiously turned around to face one of those wolflike hulks standing inches from his face. He could smell its stinky, putrid breath wafting into his face, and could see ribbons of drool hanging from its steak knife-sized chompers.

"Oh mama..."

He held out his phaser and prepared to shoot, but the Sorathian yanked it clear from his hands and squashed it in its pawlike fist. It then reached out and grabbed Harry's other arm and lifted him clear off the ground.

"HEEEELP!" Harry shouted. He tried kicking out with his feet, but the monstrous warrior was holding him too far away from the rest of its body to make any difference.

Suddenly, Harry heard the sound of metal rolling toward them. A split second later, he was being thrown in the air. He landed rather hard on the pavement. It was then that he noticed that somebody had rolled one of the plasma barrels toward his assailant. Harry knew that if he lived through this, he'd have to thank whoever had just saved him. _Probably Tuvok_, the thought as he picked himself up, _since he's always watching my back_.

Somebody appeared through the dust and rushed toward him, crouching down into the shadows. It was then that Harry saw not Tuvok, but Ensign Vorik.

"You shoved that plasma drum all by yourself—?"

"You forget, Ensign, that we Vulcans have strength three times that of you humans," Vorik said. "Get down." He grabbed Harry's shirt and yanked him down into the shadows behind a pile of debris. "You shouldn't go running off by yourself. You could have been killed." The both of them peered through an opening to see Harry's attacker pick itself up off the ground, shake the dust from its fur, and begin to forage through the debris.

"You sound like my mother," Harry replied.

"Good," Vorik said. "It would be a shame if Tuvok lost one of his favorite students." He jumped up and fired over the debris toward the Sorathian, who was now heading their way. He crouched down again.

"Excuse me?" Harry snapped.

"And it would be an even bigger shame," Vorik said, grabbing Harry's wrist and leading him like a damsel in distress to a more secluded hiding place, "if Captain Janeway lost her Chief of Ops."

"You smart-aleck-let go of me!"

"Shush." Vorik fired again.

_B'Elanna was right_, Harry thought. _This guy is such a prick!_

"Don't let me steal your thunder, Ensign," Vorik said, handing him his phaser. "I would appreciate it if you would help me out."

Harry promptly took a shot over the top of the debris. He heard a shout and a thud as a heavy body hit the ground. "And you're stealing my thunder?" he asked.

* * *

><p>Chakotay and Ensign Munro joined Tuvok and Ensign Mendez (who was badly shaken) by the crates of deuterium. "We need to get this to the ship," he said. He tapped his comm badge. "Chakotay to Voyager."<p>

"Commander," Janeway's voice said, "what's going on down there?"

"We're under attack," Chakotay said. "We need to beam out. Get the deuterium first."

Torres's voice chimed in. "I'm having trouble locking on to their signals. There's too much interference from the planet's surface. I'll have to beam them up a few at a time."

"Do it, B'Elanna," Janeway's voice said.

"Hurry, B'Elanna," Chakotay said. "There's no knowing how long we'll last. I'm telling you, these people would give the Klingons the run for their money."

"Understood. Torres out."

The burly Native American watched as the crates of deuterium dissolved in a flurry of silver sparks. _Only a few people at a time_, he thought. He looked around for Ensigns Kim and Vorik.

_No sign of them…_

* * *

><p>Vorik peered over the debris one more time. It seemed safe...for now. He motioned for Harry Kim to get up and follow. The two of them made their way back into the plaza.<p>

_Where are Chakotay and the others?_

Vorik felt that twinge in his stomach again. Something told him Neelix's cooking had nothing to do with it this time.

_They didn't leave us behind_, he thought to himself. _No, Janeway wouldn't allow it. B'Elanna wouldn't allow it. By Surak, Tuvok wouldn't leave any Vulcan behind, or any crew member for that matter!_ No, that couldn't be panic gripping every fiber of his being right now. _No, I'm in control of my emotions. I don't feel fear. Not like the others_. Not like his human companion, who was flicking his gaze back and forth, sweeping for ambushes as they sprinted toward the rendezvous point-

Something landed in front of them.

It was Lykos.

"Looks like your friends left you behind," he growled, fangs glistening with blood as he grinned at them.

Vorik brandished his weapon, but the Sorathian swatted it out of the way. With another backhand swipe, he knocked the young Vulcan unconscious. He picked him up and began to examine him.

"Hey!" Harry shouted. "Put my friend down!"

That earned him a good kick in the stomach, which sent him sliding backwards into a pile of rubble. Harry watched as another tall figure rushed toward him before his vision blurred and finally blacked out.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"I can't get a lock on their signal!" Lt. Torres said.

"Narrow the confinement beam," Janeway commanded. "See if you can lock on to them that way."

Torres tried again. "No luck. I know they're down there, Captain. I know they're alive down there-"

"Keep trying, Lieutenant," Janeway encouraged.

"I can try the skeletal lock again, but I'll have to reconfigure the transporter directly from the transporter room."

"How long will it take?" Janeway asked.

"Half an hour at most," Torres said.

"Do it," Janeway said. "I'm not leaving anyone behind."

* * *

><p>General Valko finished typing a message on a PADD before getting up to stretch his limbs. The tall Sorathian warrior walked the length of his makeshift office in an abandoned building and peeked through a set of sooty blinds to make sure the premises were secure. He hoped Faolan's negotiations with the Starfleets went well. It seemed these people from <em>Voyager<em> were their only hope for survival against the aggressive Order of Izaldin. This war had been raging for nearly a decade, and by the looks of things, Valko's men were fighting a losing battle. Their enemies were becoming more and more cunning by the week.

The doors at the end of the room opened suddenly. Valko reached for his sidearm, but relaxed when he saw one of Faolan's soldiers enter.

"Lykos," he said. "How did the negotiations go?"

The soldier dropped his gaze for a moment. "We were ambushed, General," he said. "Faolan is dead."

"But the weapons we requested?"

"Safe, for now. But I have something better."

Valko's ears perked up. "What is it, Commander?" he asked.

"I have something that would offer us some leverage against the Izaldin," Lykos said, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Borg technology?" the general asked.

"Telepaths from Voyager. One of them, at least. I don't know about the other we captured."

Valko bared his teeth menacingly and grabbed Lykos's baldric. "You fool!" he snarled. "You have compromised a possible alliance with these people by taking them hostage! What have you to say for yourself?" Lykos opened his mouth to speak, but Valko interrupted him. "You shall be reduced two steps in rank for your insubordination."

"But sir, you may find this telepath useful!"

"That is irrelevant. Get out."

"Sir, if I may speak freely," Lykos said. "This telepath has such mental discipline that I have never seen before. He has an incredible control over his emotions, that he didn't so much as blink when my men approached _Voyager's_ team."

Valko scratched a half-bitten ear before he spoke. "Let me see him."

* * *

><p>Harry Kim thought he saw a light. It was shining directly in his eyes. He winced as he covered his face, but the light still shone as brightly as ever.<p>

_Am I dead?_

As Harry's vision came into focus, he found himself in a rather brightly lit room, lying down on a gurney of some kind. He turned his head and began to look around the room. Vorik was lying on a similar bed a few feet away, eyes closed, hands clasped in a meditative pose.

"Vorik?"

The Vulcan ensign cracked open an eye and looked over at Harry.

"Hey, you okay?" Harry asked.

"I am fine, Ensign," Vorik said in his usual calm, cool tone of voice.

Harry squinted at Vorik. _How can you be fine?_ he thought as he sat up. "We've been captured by alien…werecoyotes and put in a strange hospital God-knows-where, and all you can say is you're FINE?" Considering their current circumstances, Harry felt far from fine. _Oh Vorik, how I envy you._

"So, where do you think we are?" Harry asked.

Vorik unfolded his hands and sat up. "We are in an infirmary of some sort. That is the extent of my knowledge."

"You don't think Janeway knows we're here, do you?"

"I am uncertain," Vorik said. As the Vulcan turned to face him, Harry noticed a huge bronzy-green bruise around one of Vorik's eyes. _Ouch_.

"There was another like him...two telepaths. I was only able to capture this one." A pair of doors opened at the end of the room. The two ensigns turned to see Lykos enter the room with a gray-haired Sorathian with a half-eaten ear and a stiff, dark green uniform behind him. The four of them stared at each other across the room, at a loss for words.

"You're awake," Lykos said after a moment of awkward silence. He strode over to the two ensigns, and stopped in front of Vorik. "You are to come with us immediately."

"Where are we?" Harry asked. Lykos ignored him. The Sorathian promptly grabbed Vorik and pulled him out of bed.

"Hey!" Harry shouted. "I asked you a question! Where are we and what do you want with us?"

"Shut up, Starfleet!" Lykos barked. The Sorathian bared his teeth threateningly at Harry, who backed down. He began to walk Vorik (who stumbled as he walked) toward the doors.

"Where are you taking—"

Lykos turned around and clouted Harry across the head with his fist. "I said shut up, you puny human! We only want him."

"For what?"

The Sorathian moved to punch Harry again, but suddenly changed his mind. "That is none of your concern. Come," he said, grabbing Vorik's arm and leading him out the doors with the other soldier.

_This can't be good_, Harry thought. He was starting to regret calling Vorik a smart-aleck earlier. Harry swung his legs over the side of the gurney and stood up. He took a moment to make sure nothing was broken before trying to walk. His body ached so badly, he was sure his entire middle was black and blue. _Man, these Sorathians are real bruisers_, he thought as he made his way toward the doors.

* * *

><p>Dim lights sputtered overhead as Vorik limped down a hallway accompanied by Lykos and a uniformed Sorathian soldier. Judging by his finery, Vorik assumed the creature was Lykos's superior. <em>A field marshall or perhaps a general<em>, he thought. The soldier was well older than his captor, his brown fur peppered with flecks of gray and silver, and his teeth were slightly duller.

The three of them reached a rather heavy set of doors, which creaked open as they approached. Vorik's head throbbed as the doors clanged shut behind them. He paused a moment to rub his temples, only to be yanked roughly by Lykos. The last time he had a headache this bad was nearly two years ago, when he went through the infamous pon farr…Vorik shook his head to clear the confused memories from his mind. But this was different. He had been beaten around by creatures much taller and much stronger than himself to earn a headache this bad.

Vorik's gaze swept the room they had just entered. A row of chairs was bolted to the floor in the center of the room. The Vulcan's adrenaline jumped suddenly. He struggled to stifle it by turning over a few meditative thoughts, but it wasn't working.

"Sit down," Lykos growled.

"What is this for?" Vorik asked.

"We would like to run a few tests, if you don't mind," the elder Sorathian said. It was the first time Vorik had heard him speak. If the gray hair hadn't given away the creature's age, his husky voice certainly did.

_Yes, I do mind_, Vorik thought. _How do I know you did not bring me here to interrogate or torture me?_ He was not willing to get beaten up again by Lykos, much less by his superior. There was no knowing how much better at fighting this older one was...

Lykos shoved Vorik extra hard, forcing him to sit in the nearest chair. The soldier then proceeded to strap him down.

"What will these tests entail?" Vorik asked.

"Speak when spoken to, Starfleet," the elder Sorathian growled. "You are telepathic, are you not?"

"Why do you wish to know this?"

"ANSWER THE GENERAL'S QUESTION!" Lykos barked.

"My abilities are limited," Vorik said, trying to keep the nervous edge out of his voice.

"That is a yes, Starfleet?"

Vorik shut his eyes, ashamed that he had given away that information. He had never been interrogated before. _What else are they going to ask me? I can't give away information about Voyager or her crew…_

"Yes..."

"He'll have to do, Lykos...if you're that desperate."

Lykos then forced Vorik's head back against the head rest, and attached some sort of metal ring around the Vulcan's head. He then began to attach several wires to the ring and a computer console.

* * *

><p>Harry Kim's breathing was short as he hurried down the hallway. The searing pain in his chest did nothing to help. He had picked up what looked like a crowbar along the way, hoping it would help him if he ever had to fight (which he was hoping he wouldn't have to. He did not like the idea of having to face something that big again, even if it did mean saving a fellow crewmember's butt).<p>

A heavy set of doors greeted Harry as the lights flickered. His instincts told him to approach them. They remained closed as he got closer. Harry began to search the walls for a console. He found one on the wall just a few feet away. He typed a few buttons on the control panel.

_Access denied. _

Harry tried again, but with no luck.

"Come ooon..." Taking the crowbar, Harry pried the console off the wall and began to examine the circuitry underneath. _If I had my tricorder and a toolkit with me, it'd make things a lot easier_, he thought as he began to fiddle with it with the tip of his crowbar.

Still access denied. Harry was sure the panel was mocking him. Standing back he swung the crowbar at it. Sparks shot every which way as the young ensign took his frustration out on it. It was then that he heard the clang of doors opening. Harry turned and rushed through them to find himself in what looked like an interrogation room-bare, save for a row of chairs with what looked like a medical computer console against the wall. Vorik was seated in one of the chairs with something attached to his head. His eyes were closed, as if he had been sedated.

"YOU!" Lykos's voice rang out across the room.

"Yeah, it's me," Harry said, his nerves ebbing away slightly. He felt like he was back on the holodeck with Tom Paris playing The Adventures of Captain Proton and rescuing holo-characters. He brandished his crowbar like a sword. "What have you done with Ensign Vorik?"

"Your friend is perfectly fine—" General Valko said, but he was cut off by Lykos.

"You fool!" Lykos barked. "You should not have interfered! I should kill you!"

"Lykos!" Valko said, "You are out of line—" But before the old general could stop him, Lykos had charged toward Kim, ready to fight. Harry braced for a mauling, and swung his weapon at the soldier. The Sorathian grabbed the crowbar, yanked it clear from Harry's hands, and hit him clear across the head with it.

_Nooo, not again_…he could hear the elder soldier berating Lykos. His head spun as he tried to stay conscious.

"No, General," he could hear Lykos say. "I have a better idea. Strap him to that chair. I'd like to test if this device _really_ works before we begin the procedure."

* * *

><p>"Torres to Janeway!"<p>

"Go ahead," Capt. Janeway said.

"I've finished reconfiguring the transporters. I'm going to try the skeletal lock on them."

"Do it, B'Elanna."

B'Elanna tapped a few buttons on the transporter console, praying that she could get a lock. The console beeped in the affirmative.

_YES!_

Sliding her hand across the controls, B'Elanna Torres prayed for a successful transport.

* * *

><p>Ensign Vorik's mind swam as he lay there, semi-conscious. He could barely feel his feet or his hands. <em>Perhaps they tied me down too tightly<em>, he thought absentmindedly. Memories swam in and out of his consciousness, mixing with bizarre subconscious thoughts that he was not sure were his...

_His mother was scolding him for staying out late again, telling him that he was supposed to look out for his brothers. His brother Taurik put his hand on his shoulder, asking where he had been for the past five years. Stuck in the Delta Quadrant. You're joking, Vorik. I don't tell jokes, Taurik. I am Vulcan. Are you? You've been stuck with humans and other aliens who do not follow the path of Logic—_

Something was happening. Panic gripped every fiber of his being. He could feel emotions fighting to slip out and take over. _Nooo! Stop! Please stop! I have to be in control! _

The next moment, he felt as if he were being torn apart. Silver sparks swam in front of his eyes.

_A transporter beam?_ It couldn't be.

* * *

><p>B'Elanna's hands were sweating as she watched the forms of Ensign Harry Kim and Vorik slowly materialized on the transporter pad.<p>

She tapped her comm badge. "Torres to sickbay!" she shouted when she saw how badly bruised the both of them were. "I need a medical team up here stat!"

* * *

><p>Harry Kim found himself staring up at the ceiling of what he thought was <em>Voyager's<em> transporter room. And was that B'Elanna Torres's voice he heard just now? Oh God, it felt so good to be back. He did not notice that the pain in his chest had mysteriously disappeared. The Doctor's voice came over the comm link, but Harry was too tired to pay attention to what he was saying. His head was throbbing so badly…


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Torres to the bridge."

Captain Janeway stood up from her chair. "Go ahead," she said.

"Captain, Ensigns Kim and Vorik are on board. They're being sent to sickbay."

Janeway breathed a sigh of relief. "Good work, B'Elanna," she said.

Lt. Cdr. Tuvok's console suddenly beeped. "Captain, sensors have detected two ships off our port stern. They are Sorathian."

"Open a channel," Janeway commanded. She waited as Tuvok pressed a few buttons on his console before speaking. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the starship Voyager. State your intent."

The viewscreen changed to reveal the doglike visage of a burly, black-furred Sorathian with his teeth bared. "Captain Janeway," he wheezed. "My superiors tell me you have something that belongs to us."

"That is true, Captain," she replied. "We have just finished a trade negotiation with your people for fuel-"

"I'm not talking about the deuterium, _Captain_," the Sorathian growled. "I'm talking about the two men you just spirited away from General Valko's facility."

Janeway paused for a moment. _General Valko? Who was that?_ "Those two men," she said firmly, "are members of my crew. They have just been beamed aboard because I believe your General had kidnapped them and held them hostage. What do you want with them?"

"That is none of your concern, Captain," the Sorathian snarled, his voice becoming more impatient.

"It is when my men come back maimed and beaten by your superiors. I can assure you we do not work for any particular faction in your war—"

The Sorathian interrupted Janeway again. "You do now," he said. "You will transport the telepathic one to our ship...or we shall destroy yours."

Janeway exchanged a glance with Tuvok. With a nod, she signaled for Tuvok to mute the channel.

"Captain, their ships are armed with primitive phaser banks and spatial torpedoes. We have them outgunned."

"Have sensors picked up any other Sorathian ships in the vicinity?" she asked.

Tuvok tapped a few buttons on his console. "There are four others, but they are well out of range."

"But there's no knowing whether these men will signal them for aid," Janeway said. "We may have them outgunned, but they have us outnumbered." She thought for a moment.

"Should we call his bluff?" Chakotay asked.

"I'm not turning Harry or Ensign Vorik over to them," Janeway said, but Tuvok's console suddenly began to beep urgently.

"They are charging weapons," the Vulcan said.

"Raise shields! Tuvok, reopen that channel."

_BOOM!_ People grabbed onto consoles and chairs as the bridge rocked from the impact.

"My patience is wearing thin, Captain Janeway," the Sorathian said coldly. "Give me the telepath, or I will be forced to blow holes in your ship to get him."

"I'm not surrendering members of my crew to fuel your war," Janeway said firmly.

The Sorathian captain snarled angrily, bugging his eyes and baring his huge, saber-like teeth. "So be it, Starfleet!" The viewscreen changed back to two small ships against a starfield.

"Mister Paris, prepare to go to warp," Janeway said. The ship jolted again as the Sorathian ships tried to shoot through Voyager's shields.

"Shields are holding," Tuvok said.

"Target their propulsion systems."

Voyager's phasers sliced through space and into the nearest Sorathian ship's engine. Another phaser fire knocked the other ship's nacelle clear off.

"Warp two, Mr. Paris! Now!"

"Yes ma'am!" Tom Paris tapped a few buttons on his console, steering the ship clear of the fray. Voyager disappeared in an instant as she jumped to warp.

* * *

><p><em>Harry Kim's mind was swimming. In one moment, he was standing on the cliffside of what he thought was the Grand Canyon; in the next he was being yelled at by a drill instructor that looked a heck of a lot like Janeway...or was it B'Elanna? Nah, it had to be B'Elanna...who else shouted like that? "Ensign! Get your butt over here and help me with these conduits! Come on, Harry, I'm not getting any younger!" <em>

_Libby? He thought he heard his girlfriend's voice echoing over B'Elanna's. He turned to find not just Libby, but his mother and father. _

_"Mom...Dad..." _

_"Harry, sweetheart!" Harry's mother said. "My, my, look at you! What on Earth are you dressed as?" _

_Harry looked down at his own clothes, which had somehow miraculously changed into what looked like a set of resplendent bejeweled robes. It was then that he noticed that he had no feet! _

_"Mom, where are my feet?" _

_"You left them behind," Tuvok said, suddenly materializing next to his parents. "On the Sorathian homeworld...they apparently wanted to eat your shoes." _

_"It appears they got carried away," another voice said. Harry turned to see a handful of Vulcans he had never seen before in his life. _

_"Who are you guys?" _

_"It's time to wake up, Ensign," one of the male Vulcans said. Harry watched as the Vulcans standing before him started to dissolve, like sugar in a cup of coffee...except one, who seemed to be turning into the Doctor..._

"Ensign?"

It took a while for Harry to open his eyes. As his vision focused, he realized that he was lying in Sickbay, with the Emergency Medical Hologram hovering over him with a tricorder.

"Good morning Ensign," the Doctor said. "How does your head feel?"

Harry sat up. "Fine, I guess...why?"

"It appears the synaptic patterns in your brain are a bit more sluggish than usual."

"Well Doctor, the last thing I remember was getting beaten around by those dog-people. I wouldn't be surprised if I'd gotten a concussion—"

"You did suffer from a concussion, Ensign," the Doctor said. "But I was expecting you to recover much faster."

"How's Vorik doing?"

The Doctor gave Harry a confused look. "You tell me."

"The guy was hooked up to some...machine or something, last I remember."

"Ensign Vorik?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Is he okay?"

The Doctor gave Harry a once-over, and scanned him again. "Ensign Vorik is fine otherwise, but I still have to wait for Ensign Kim to wake up."

"Doc," Harry said. "I'm Ensign Kim."

The Doctor gave Harry an incredulous look. He reached up and stroked the tip of one of his holographic ears. "Do this," he said.

Harry reached up and touched his own ear. "What for—?"

Almost immediately, Harry felt something was not right with his ear. He ran his fingers up and over a pointed tip. He then reached over and did the same to his other ear.

"Doc..." He began to run his hands through his hair and over his forehead. Then it hit him. Harry immediately jumped off the biobed and ran over to the adjacent one, pulling the cover back to find...

...himself, lying unconscious.

"No way…"

"Ensign, you must try to keep calm."

"Is he dead?"

"No, but he is suffering from—"

"Wake him up."

"Ensign, I can't—"

"DO IT!" Harry was suddenly surprised at how forceful he sounded. "He's alive, isn't he? Wake him up."

"Ensign Vorik—I mean, Kim." The Doctor shook his head in confusion. "Ensign Ki—Vorik...is suffering from a serious concussion. If I wake him, I could damage his brain permanently. Now, if you would please, sit down and try to calm down."

Harry took a deep breath and wiped his hand through his hair again, but he could not calm down. He just couldn't! His mind was racing a mile a minute. _How did this happen?_

The Doctor tapped his comm badge. "Sickbay to bridge," he said, "Captain, could I see you a moment?"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. _No...no, no, no. Don't drag the captain into this. Please, Doc._

A few minutes later, Captain Janeway stepped into Sickbay. "Doctor?" she said. "How are Harry and Vorik?"

"There's no easy way to put this, Captain," the Doctor said. "Ensign Kim has already revived..."

"But?"

"Vorik is still unconscious."

Janeway looked over at the two figures on the biobeds. "Then why is he sitting up?"

"That, Captain, is Ensign Kim...in Vorik's body."

Harry looked nervously at Janeway. Judging by the look on her face, she was having trouble believing the Doctor. She walked over to the young ensign.

"Ensign...Kim," she said. "What was the last thing you remember before you were beamed back?"

"I went to rescue Vorik from the Sorathians. He was strapped to some chair with this..." he gestured to his head, "device strapped to his head like this. One of the Sorathians knocked me out before I could get to him."

"What did this device look like?"

"It was..." Harry thought for a moment. His memories were very cloudy, and mostly consisted of getting bashed in the head and chest. "It resembled some kind of headpiece...like a ring. There were wires that ran between it and a machine of some kind...I can't remember the rest..."

Janeway squinted at Harry. "What is your character's name on Tom's Captain Proton holoprogram?"

"Buster Kincaid, ace reporter and faithful sidekick to Captain Proton."

Janeway turned and exchanged a glance with the Doctor. "He certainly sounds like Harry Kim."

"Captain, I _am_ Harry Kim. Something happened while we were down there. The Sorathians wanted Vorik for some kind of...experiment."

"We know," Janeway said. She then turned to the Doctor again. "Is there any way to switch their bodies back?"

"I don't know for certain, Captain," the Doctor said. "We'll have to wait for Ensign Vorik to come out of his coma to find out. He'll probably have more definitive information on this device."

"Let me know when he does," Janeway said. "As for you, Ensign, I suggest you get some rest for now."

"What am I supposed to do when I return to duty?"

Janeway paused. It felt very awkward speaking to Vorik-or actually, Harry Kim-like this. She was still having a hard time believing this young Vulcan was really her Chief of Operations. She could only imagine what Tuvok would have to say about all this...he probably would not believe it either. Considering all the things she and her crew had been through, this was not as surprising as she had expected. But seeing that she was talking to Harry in a Vulcan's body-and a Vulcan she barely knew at that-she felt very awkward. This was Harry Kim. But the Harry she knew did not have pointy ears, upswept eyebrows, and a deep, velvety voice. All of this was really throwing her off.

"Just rest for now, Ensign. That's an order," she said.


End file.
